How much space should be between different acropora?

AZMSGT · Dec 30, 2019

How much space should I keep between the different frags so when they grow they have room?

I know allot depends on the exact types and such. But just looking for an average.

Zach W · Dec 30, 2019

Following

Crabs McJones · Dec 30, 2019

Great question! I'm struggling with this as well as I slowly acquire more and more sticks. I go to place them and all I can think about is them growing into eachother and fighting. Some will intertwine and be fine. I had a stag and a milli that grew around eachother and did great, no fighting, no dead coral spots. Then you've got the mille and the tri color acro, they didnt get along.

MTBake · Dec 30, 2019

Some acros dont even hit their stride till they're the size of a baseball. The large colonies you see in some people's tanks are over a foot across and the size of a softball or larger. Just to give a grown out size estimate. Some dont grow as fast or will be more compact than others. It's really hard to give a solid number, imo.

I'd say as much space as possible if you dont want them fighting.

Epic Aquaculture · Dec 30, 2019

LOL I definitely am not a good person to ask, as you know Ken!

Fishingandreefing · Dec 30, 2019

I don’t care, if they started growing I will love them. Currently placed mine at about 3” apart.

AdamNC · Dec 30, 2019

Ideally 4-6” apart unless it’s a Stag like a Slimer. Give them a little more room.

AZMSGT · Dec 31, 2019

SawCJack00 said:
LOL I definitely am not a good person to ask, as you know Ken!

Yes.. and no. I think the hobby is different for you. You like a wide variety and you are also trying to run a business. So having allot of variety and being able to cut fresh frags from those various corals seems to be the direction you are heading.

I on the other hand want to grow out corals into some nice colonies with a minimum amount of fragging to deal with. Of course I will have pruning when the time comes. That's when I offer my trimmings back to you to sell if you want.

Ashish Patel · Dec 31, 2019

4-6" is too close if they on the same level. I would say minimum 6" and difference in height of 2-4" . This is why Tonga branch rock is pound for pound the best rock for SPS

Ashish Patel · Dec 31, 2019

I like to frag corals when they get to 10"+. If your ok to frag when they are smaller then mount them closer.

TheHarold · Dec 31, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
Great question! I'm struggling with this as well as I slowly acquire more and more sticks. I go to place them and all I can think about is them growing into eachother and fighting. Some will intertwine and be fine. I had a stag and a milli that grew around eachother and did great, no fighting, no dead coral spots. Then you've got the mille and the tri color acro, they didnt get along.

Mount them on a small piece of rubble, and then epoxy the rubble to your rock scape. That way you can still move them; even a year or two down the road.

Crabs McJones · Dec 31, 2019

TheHarold said:
Mount them on a small piece of rubble, and then epoxy the rubble to your rock scape. That way you can still move them; even a year or two down the road.

What about if they encrust off the rubble?

TheHarold · Dec 31, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
What about if they encrust off the rubble?

You typically can still break off the rubble pretty easily. Sure you can lose some encrustment, but it’s worth it IMO. My open-hand sized colonies are still removable.

SeaDweller · Dec 31, 2019

A few inches at least. Mine are growing into each other but one species isn’t killing off the other as people make it seem. A branch or two may be wiped out, but not the whole colony.

Epic Aquaculture · Dec 31, 2019

AZMSGT said:
Yes.. and no. I think the hobby is different for you. You like a wide variety and you are also trying to run a business. So having allot of variety and being able to cut fresh frags from those various corals seems to be the direction you are heading.

I on the other hand want to grow out corals into some nice colonies with a minimum amount of fragging to deal with. Of course I will have pruning when the time comes. That's when I offer my trimmings back to you to sell if you want.

I completely agee with your idea of growing them to larger more natural sizes, which is what I plan to do in the new display tank. In my old 450, I had volleyball sized colonies, and I loved it. Thats my plan for the new tank. I will give each piece that goes in room to grow. @TheHarold has a great idea too. Doing it that way gives you some flexibility down the road...

MurphyJ · Dec 31, 2019

I wish there was more info on the amount of encrusting a coral will do, and growth form. I have a database on types of Acros and growth patterns but most sellers just list as “Acro” And hard for new reefers to look at the structure of a frag and say “ oh, this is microclados needs to go on an edge“.

I have a Bonsi that has 8” encrusting around the branches with no sign of stopping. Should have placed him on an island.

Torts are like weeds with their outward branching. Anything they touch they will encrust on. And if you break a tip you will have a new tort growing where ever they land.

Bushy types seem to encrust in direct proportion to outward spread of branches.

But I only have a year under my belt and still learning.

AZMSGT · Dec 31, 2019

I already was thinking about a rubble idea to mount corals. I bought a bunch of these:

Oceans Wonders Coral Frag Rocks - 10 Pack

Oceans Wonders Coral Frag mounts are perfect for the attaching coral frags including hard and soft branching corals such as Acropora, Birdsnest, Montipora, Kenya Trees, Xenia, etc. They are bright white in color and fit into standard egg crate or into small cracks or crevices in your aquarium’s...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Joe's 220 Reef · Dec 31, 2019

Following. I am about a year or so seriously into the sps game and I struggle with the same question. Most of my sps are about 6” apart. I have a 220 with around 2 dozen acro’s and worry that was not enough space.

Graffiti Spot · Jan 1, 2020

Stags will grow up and then outward after a while. But some like torts have very irregular growth in lower flow.
Tabling acros will grow horizontally.
Bushy acros will form a ball mostly but some will branch out with funny irregular growth.
Reefcrest acros will encrust a lot before branching out and species type depends on the shape it takes.

You will just have to study the type of acropora you have and learn what it will do. Or wait til it starts growing and use the rubble idea so you can move them to better spots. The main thing is flow that is too low will make acros grow skinny and long branches and have very irregular growth.

PedroYoung · Jan 1, 2020

MurphyJ said:
I wish there was more info on the amount of encrusting a coral will do, and growth form. I have a database on types of Acros and growth patterns but most sellers just list as “Acro” And hard for new reefers to look at the structure of a frag and say “ oh, this is microclados needs to go on an edge“.

I have a Bonsi that has 8” encrusting around the branches with no sign of stopping. Should have placed him on an island.

Torts are like weeds with their outward branching. Anything they touch they will encrust on. And if you break a tip you will have a new tort growing where ever they land.

Bushy types seem to encrust in direct proportion to outward spread of branches.

But I only have a year under my belt and still learning.

I would love to see that database, I have been looking for something like that